Elemental Fusion!
- Last updated Oct 22, 2016 (Yogg Nerf)
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Wild
- 9 Minions
- 19 Spells
- 2 Weapons
- Deck Type: Ranked Deck
- Deck Archetype: Totem Shaman
- Crafting Cost: 4480
- Dust Needed: Loading Collection
- Created: 10/3/2016 (Yogg Nerf)
- Chimera
- Registered User
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- 22
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- 210
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Battle Tag:
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Region:
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Total Deck Rating
2184
The goal of this deck is to keep the board under control while getting value from spell damage and totems, drawing through your deck full of damage until you find lethal. Win condition is usually a final burst of damage, for example:
- 15 damage with only 2x lava burst + lava shock if you have +1 spell damage
- Save wicked witchdoctor + windfury + primal fusion, and buff an existing minion for surprise lethal. PRIMAL FUSION LAST FOR THIS!
- You can also use bloodlust.
Replays
Strategy
Firstly we must identify how this deck wins. Usually it wins by a final burst of damage. It may also win simply from accumulative damage. You want to aim and plan around setting up a board and saving certain cards to unexpectedly finish off your opponent. This may be achieved through Bloodlust, however you may also harness the power of spell damage and chain together Lightning Bolts Lava Shocks Lava Bursts and Primal Fusions. Weapon damage and Flametongue Totem damage helps as well.
I aim to start the game with a Spirit Claws whenever possible. It is the best card you can play turn 1 for this deck. Turn 2 i almost always hero power, but it depends if/how much my opponent is pressuring me. If you are not being presented with many immediate threats use your cards sparingly, your hero power is your friend.
If you get the coin try to save it to summon a totem after playing Wicked Witchdoctor or for some other important situation. If you do need to spend it to contest the board that is fine, but only if you have to. When you do play Wicked Witchdoctor try to avoid spending every spell you can just to make totems; don't waste anything while getting this value. Keep in mind possible ways that your opponent can clear the board still and try not to over-extend too much. If you are really concerned about removal it may be wise to try and bait/wait it out.
Try to sequence your spells in the best possible order. This can be one of the more complicated aspects of this deck. Remember that Wicked Witchdoctor triggers before the spell actually resolves, so you will have a new totem each time before the spell actually is cast.
If you have a spell but you are one damage short, you can play it and hope you get a spell damage totem for that extra damage, but preferably you should cast other less crucial spells first to see if you actually get one first and play it safe. With Primal Fusion be aware that the newly summoned totem will count as well for an extra +1/+1 so count that when you count damage. This is best played last for the largest buff.
Think about how to ration out your removal each game. Try to identify the archetype you are matched against and which key cards they will have that are best to Hex. For example, you know a midrange hunter will have Savannah Highmane, and you know a control paladin will have Tirion Fordring, so plan to keep at least one for when they make an appearance. Do not be afraid to use one to help re-gain control of the board or neutralize a threat that you otherwise can not deal with. It can buy you a lot of time and help swing tempo in your favor often, but think carefully.
Be aware of the minions remaining in your deck when you play Barnes so you can take advantage of the summoned 1/1 if possible. I prefer to try and wait longer than turn 4 to drop it because if i get a Wicked Witchdoctor i would like to get some value from that as well. You can also get some bonus spell damage and card draw, so just be aware of the odds.
When using Spirit Claws try to only hit face when you have spell damage, and try to save the last durability for clearing a minion if you can. Beware of Acidic Swamp Ooze and Harrison Jones which some decks are running right now. Lastly, be careful with sequencing of overload spells and Lava Shock to maximize value there as well. Don't be afraid to use Lava Shock a a removal if it is required, though. Especially late game when you have a lot of mana and a lot of cheap cards; the overload has much less of an impact.
Card Breakdown
Tunnel Trogg - This is a great 1 drop and because there is so much overload going on here it there is no reason to exclude it. Turning overload into damage can stack up fast if left unattended
Feral Spirit - This is a good card for getting on the board. In this case it is useful after the inevitable board clear of your opponents to put something immediately in their way so you can prepare your next moves.
Lightning Bolt - A cheap source of damage with a lot of utility. Some matches you will use it to clear minions and trigger witchdoctor, others you will use it to burst down your enemy
Primal Fusion - Amazing card. A cheap and easy way to buff a token with up to +6/+6. Great for lethal damage as well at the end of the game. Be aware there is a disconnect bug when playing this card with witchdoctor sometimes and i am not sure what causes it
Spirit Claws - Amazing card. You can do anywhere to 3-9 damage with just one of these. Very flexible for clearing minions or whittling down your enemy's life total
Ancestral Knowledge - A very nice card to cycle your deck and draw important cards. The overload can be negated with a lava shock for more value.
Flametongue Totem - A quick way to beef up your board damage if you have existing minions and it counts as a totem as well.
Lava Shock - Flexible damage to distribute where it is needed while also relieving some overload. Very important card
Lightning Storm - This is a great aoe and the more spell damage you have the better. I ended up liking this better than maelstrom portal because it has stronger standalone damage.
Hex - One of the best hard removal cards that will bail you out of some sticky situations assuming you draw it at the right time. Try to be aware of what the best targets might be in the particular deck you are playing against so you make the best use.
Lava Burst - 3 Mana for 5 damage is really good, especially if you are using them to finish off your opponent late game. With the potential for many spell damage totems these could be potent in combination with other damage sources.
Windfury - This is a great card to combo with a minion after you use bloodlust or primal fusion for example. It basically doubles the value of the previous spell in this case. Be careful if you attempt to use it to clear minions because you don't want to waste it.
Maelstrom Portal - Auxiliary aoe in this deck, and generally a good card. Scales well with spell damage and provides a minion to add to the board. Can't go wrong with this.
Wicked Witchdoctor - Probably the most important card in this deck. You can make many totems with this and the way it interacts with your spells is really convenient. You can fill the board in no time if you plan ahead and it makes bloodlust spectacular
Bloodlust - This is another core card because it is your most clear win condition. It is simple to use, you just need to set up enough totems and count your damage. Double bloodlust on turn 10 is nuts
Azure Drake - Azure drake is a valuable card and a 1/1 with spell damage is not terrible from barnes either. Another card that helps to cycle the deck.
Bloodmage Thalnos - Very versatile with it's spell damage and cad draw in one package. A strong tool in this deck as it is in many others.
Barnes - This card gets great value with this deck because of how few minions in it.
Mulligan
You may choose to keep some other cards depending on what you expect to encounter. For some decks you may require a Lightning Bolt, Lightning Storm, Hex, or you may like to keep an Ancestral Knowledge to draw into your deck more.
When you have the coin it may definitely be wise to keep Lightning Storm in most cases, and Wicked Witchdoctor is a great choice to keep as well because of the coin. Do consider Bloodmage Thalnos as well for some spell damage when you need it most.
Replacements
Tunnel Trogg - Maelstrom Portal + Earth Shock/Stormcrack
Bloodmage Thalnos - Azure Drake
Lava Shock - Earth Shock/Stormcrack
You may also be interested in my new Handlock!
Minion (20)
Ability (9)
Playable Hero (1)
Loading Collection
I have been following the evolution of this deck and I am very happy with the changes I have seen.
Very well thought out guide (one of the best to me) and while the inclusion of windfury surprised me,
It has worked out very well so far.Please keep up the good work!
Thank you for the kind words. I like to try and balance viability with fun. :) Glad you are enjoying it, GLHF!
This deck is amazing. I am running double Azure, because I don't have Thalnos and it seems fine.
That should be fine indeed i probably would have suggested that. Reminds me to complete the replacements section.
Yo, why no Mariel? Your basically picking totem, depending on situation.
Not sure what card mariel is, but assuming you mean justicar its not really worth it.
A shaman deck without Totem Golem? Was not aware there was such a thing! +1
It was tough i had to tell him i wasnt building it and be very quiet. He is very sad being left out after tuskarr abandoned him.
It's in the deck because i told it to be. It cycles and enables one of your cards to be more flexible to play
Great reasoning... aka the famous 'because I said so'.
Any place for Hallazeal the Ascended ? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Could be nice in this deck I'd swap windfury for it
how's windfury and far sight working for you?
also why no mana tide? is ancestral good enough for you?
woah just noticed you even took out thing from below
They are working pretty well for now. Windfury is a card i am using to generally amplify burst damage for a lethal strike in combination with primal fusion if i can. A slightly new take on my existing strategy. I am liking far sight because it expedites the deck and the discount can be very beneficial as long as it doesn't draw you a 1 drop. I did take out both things from below because they weren't that great in this deck after all. I'd rather just use feral spirits for taunt. Barnes seemed to always pull me a fucking 1/1 with taunt and i figured i would put in an azure drake because i would rather have a 1/1 with spell power, and the card draw is nice. Mana tide totem was a bit slow at drawing cards so i am going a different route.
why no Totem Golem or thunder bluff valiant?
definitely put in Draenei Totemcarver
Totem golem doesn't add much of anything to the deck except a body and makes barnes less valuable. Sure it is a totem, but it's usually just a 1/1 that gets removed. Thunder bluff is too slow. Totemcarver, although i like that card, is also too slow and makes barnes less valuable. Maybe in another sort of totem deck it would be better.
Why no Thunderbluff Valiant?
Too slow.
Thank you for the kind words! I appreciate that. Good to hear that you are making progress. Rank 12-13 is a quite nice rank for a newer player for sure so it sounds like you are doing well! I am glad that i am not sharing my decks in vain :)
The earlier list with totemic might etc. Was indeed quite fun. I changed the deck for the most part because i am at about rank 10 seeing some tough competition which wasn't letting me get value from it. :(
Hi chimera im awhat can i replace to tunnel trogg ??